Knowledge, Danger, Certainty, and the Theory of Magic

Three variables, knowledge, danger and certainty, have been logically isolated by social scientists as conditions that lead to the utilization of magical behavior. This paper reports an empirical study in which these variables are shown to relate differently to three subcategories of behavior that are generally lumped together under the generic term "magic." It is suggested that a reformulation of "the theory of magic" is necessary so that a delineation can be made between different types of behavior in which means are inappropriate for an intended end.